Opposition Lawmaker's Aide Embezzled Policy Development Funds and Framed Intern

Policy Materials Planned 2,000 Copies, Only 4 Produced
Law: "Claims Intern Committed Crime, Shows No Remorse"

A former aide to a member of the National Assembly who embezzled policy development funds through false estimates was sentenced to a fine in the first trial. It was revealed that the aide shifted the blame to an intern in the lawmaker’s office, claiming the intern had committed the embezzlement when the crime was uncovered.

According to the legal community on the 31st, Judge Kim Jeong-gi of the Criminal Division 7 at the Seoul Southern District Court sentenced Seo, a former aide to Democratic Party lawmaker Yoo Dong-su, to a fine of 10 million won on charges of fraud.

Democratic Party of Korea Representative Yoodongsoo [Image source=Yonhap News]

In December 19, 2016, Seo instructed Seong, who was working as an intern secretary in Yoo Dong-su’s office, to prepare a payment request for the publication costs of 2,000 copies of a policy booklet, claiming a total of 9.8 million won for the publication costs. However, only 4 copies of the policy booklet were ultimately produced, and it was confirmed that Seo contacted the printing company’s representative and received back 8.18 million won after deducting taxes and other fees.

Seo then transferred 8.18 million won to Seong’s bank account and instructed Seong to withdraw the entire amount in 50,000 won bills from the cash machine on the first floor of the National Assembly Members’ Office Building. After the case was uncovered in November 2018, Seo pinned the crime on Seong, and Yoo’s office reported Seong to the police on charges of embezzlement. However, Seong was eventually cleared of charges with a non-prosecution disposition (no charges).

During the trial, Seo claimed that he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the 8.18 million won returned from the printing company. However, the court rejected this, stating, “It is hard to accept that an administrative intern, who was scheduled to leave in a few days, handled the abnormal disbursement of a considerable amount of policy development funds properly without any verification for nearly two years, despite being well aware that such funds would be misused.”

The court also explained the sentencing by saying, “After the crime was exposed through media reports, Seo shifted responsibility by claiming that the crime was solely committed by Seong, who was merely an administrative intern, and even during the trial, Seo insisted that Seong was lying, showing no genuine remorse.”